I'll Never Really Leave You
by bsusoph87
Summary: Troy and Gabriella believed they were meant to be together. Their friends all thought they were the epitome of happiness. After a devastating betrayal on both sides, their relationship ends and a battle commences. How will it end? Who will win?
1. Bottom of the Ocean

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical and these characters all belong to the writers at Disney. If I did own High School Musical, there probably would've been a love scene; however, I must resort to writing fanfictions since Disney didn't deem a love scene appropriate. ;

"TROY!

The Earth ceased to rotate at that very moment; all of the oxygen had been sucked from the room as Gabriella Montez slowly, in a graceful arch, began her descent to the floor. After months of enduring more than any 17 year-old girl should have to- her body shut down.

Troy turned around quickly, stumbling in a drunken haze and almost falling down the stairs as he watched his ever- gorgeous ex-girlfriend lose consciousness. He looked to the person across the room that had screamed his name, Gabriella's best friend Taylor. He knew what she wanted from him and he saw her face harden in anger as he turned back around to continue the mundane conversation interrupted by Gabriella's fainting. Nothing remained that he could do, she brought it on herself.

**FLASHBACK**

"Here's to the future."

"No, here's to right now."

As Troy Bolton's lips pressed against those of his incredible girlfriend, he knew there would never be anyone else. The balmy breeze lifted her hair away from her neck and shoulders, tantalizing him, forcing him to think about what would come after they left Lava Springs for the night. They both shrieked as the sprinklers took them by surprise, soaking them to the skin and ruining the moment; although, a splash of cold water was probably a good thing for Troy in his current state. Though cold and shivering, they weren't disheartened. Everything was perfect because they had been reunited.

"Troy, I'm so sorry," Gabriella whispered desperately, laying her face against Troy's chest.

"Babe, what on earth do you have to be sorry for? I'm the one that messed up and acted like a complete jerk," Troy responded as his cheeks and neck colored in shame.

"That may be true," Gabriella said with a quick smile to soften the blow, looking deeply into his blue eyes, "but I should never have left you. I should have trusted you to make the right decision. I know you're worried that your parents might not be able to pay for college and I should have considered what a scholarship would mean for you and your family…."

Troy pressed his right index finger against her lips to silence her and said, "I appreciate your apology, but it's totally unnecessary. I didn't have to act like a complete ass and ditch you and my friends just to get a scholarship. Don't you worry; I'll figure something else out."

Gabriella laid her head back down on Troy's chest, comforted by his words. They watched their friends running through the sprinklers the way they did when they were little kids, refraining from joining them to simply revel in each other's company. Gabriella tried to imprint every 

detail of that moment in her mind; the feel of the grass on her feet, Troy's now soaked t-shirt against her cheek, the warming sensation caused by his hands wrapped around her back. She had never thought that she would find such meaningful, deep love in high school, but she thanked God for giving her Troy everyday. Once again, in the comfort of Troy's arms, she felt safe and secure- ready to handle whatever life could throw at them.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Taylor caught Gabriella on her way to the floor with strength she didn't know she possessed, not that it took much, and lifted her to lay her down gently on the nearest couch. Their other best friend, Sharpay, a very sweet girl despite her rough exterior, had passed out hours ago and her boyfriend Zeke had already taken her home. Sharpay's brother Ryan, also a close friend, had gone with them to help Zeke. Jason and Kelsi weren't much for the party scene, so they weren't present either. And since Troy obviously was not going to give her any aid, she would have to go it alone. She gritted her teeth in frustration as she considered what to do next. She stared down at the petite girl, thousands of questions running through her mind.

"_Shit, shit, shit! Just how drunk is she? How could she do this to herself? What did she drink tonight? Should I call an ambulance? Holy fuck, what do I do?"_

The Taylor McKessie that the students of East High were acquainted with was always calm and assured of herself. Taylor felt neither of those attributes while staring down at the limp form of her best friend; this was not a simple math equation, she did not feel properly equipped to 

handle this situation at all. She tried to think back to the section in Health class when they had learned about substance abuse. 'Check the airway' was the first thing that came to mind. As Taylor reached for the Blackberry in the back pocket of her jeans, thinking to call 911, she placed two fingers directly in front of Gabriella's nostrils- sighing as she felt two steady, though shallow, breaths against her skin. She then took notice that the music had been turned off and people had quit what they were doing to stare at Gabriella.

"Is anyone going to help me?" Taylor screamed to the silent room, shocked that they only stood there watching the dark-haired girl get more ill by the second instead of offering to help.

"What's going on in here?" Chad Danforth asked aloud as he walked back in to the large family room of his home, occupied by almost 100 people, from the kitchen with a fresh drink in his right hand.

"Chad, thank God! Gabriella passed out- I need your help!"

Chad looked at Troy, his best friend since preschool, and regarded his impassive face before responding to Taylor, trying to ignore the terror in her eyes. "What is it that you think I could do?"

Taylor, having noticed the look Chad gave Troy, felt another surge of anger. After months of tension between her and Chad because of the Troy/Gabriella situation, that look almost caused her to snap right there. She knew they had problems but she never thought he would turn her away. "This is not the time to worry about Troy's fucking feelings, Chad! Gabs is sick! Are you just going to stand there?"

No one in the room moved a muscle, implying that was exactly what they would all do, no one dared defy East High's star basketball player. Before his and Gabriella's relationship ended he had always been popular and was known for being a real sweetheart, a genuine nice guy. After he and Gabriella broke up, he went through intense mood swings that even Chad feared after 14 years of friendship. Taylor and Sharpay were the only ones who could face him bravely, but Taylor was without backup at that particular moment.

"Fine, everyone get the fuck out of my way. I'll do this myself." Taylor had decided against calling 911 in favor of driving Gabriella to the hospital herself. She had stayed sober to play DD for Gabs since she knew beforehand that tonight would probably be a bad night, though she had no idea it would be this awful. It would be dangerous to call the cops to a house where there were so many intoxicated underage students, and she could get to the emergency room faster anyway. So she grabbed her keys from the purse hanging off her shoulder and walked to the front door alone. As she braved the intense snow without a coat on to walk to her car, everyone stared at the person next to them wondering where she was going while Gabriella was still lying unmoving on the couch. As the party remained completely silent, people barely daring to breathe, each person could hear Taylor cursing to herself as she unlocked and opened the passenger's side door. They could hear her bag hit the driver's side window as she threw it in the car across the seats. She hurried back in- leaving the front door open. Snow was blowing inside and when some ignorant underclassmen got the bright idea to shut the door to keep out the cold, Taylor stopped them short by giving them the infamous McKessie glare. Her face softened as she knelt down to whisper in Gabriella's ear once more to see if she would wake up.

"Gabs, we've gotta go. Can you walk? Can you wake up?"

The most Taylor received from the incapacitated girl was an incoherent moan that terrified her; she knew that Gabriella had to be in a lot of pain and if she wasn't now, she would be when she woke up.

"It's ok, Gabs. I'll take care of you." Taylor ran to get Gabriella's coat and purse from the hall closet near the door, without bothering to worry about her own coat to ward of the chill. Putting the purse's long strap across her body diagonally, she began to put the tiny pea coat on her best friend as their classmates looked on. Taylor made the decision to pointedly ignore her insensitive peers as she got Gabriella ready to leave.

The girls in the room who wanted so desperately to help, but were too scared, felt their hearts break as they listened to Taylor speaking in a soothing voice to Gabriella. They couldn't imagine how she must feel, or how they would feel in a similar situation; tears ran unchecked down their faces as they closed their eyes in misery. Taylor wasn't sure if Gabs could even hear her, but if she could, then she wanted her to know she was safe and her best friend would take care of her. She propped her up gently on the couch, picking up an arm and sliding it through one of the coat's sleeves as tears ran down her face.

"Gabs, don't you worry your pretty little face, I know you didn't mean to drink this much. You've had it rough lately huh, gorgeous? Maybe once you start feeling better we'll go on vacation or something, yeah? We could go to Hawaii! We'd meet some sexy surfers and eat all the crab legs you want. I know those are your favorite. Can you just taste that warm butter sauce? I know I can! What do you say? Now come on, let's get this coat on so we can get you to 

the hospital, okay? There won't be any Hawaii if you don't get better. You will get better, hear me? I swear you will and you know you can trust me, we're best friends for life."

Once the coat was on, Taylor wiped a tear out of her eye before she put Gabriella's right arm around her neck and her own right arm behind Gabriella's back. Her left arm went under Gabriella's knees as she lifted her from the couch. She struggled for only a moment before stiffening and resolving to get Gabriella to the car no matter what. She silently thanked herself for the hours she had spent in the gym in the last few months building muscle tone. Even so, she wasn't sure how she had found the strength to carry Gabs- it was like one of those moments where mothers can lift cars in order to save their babies' lives all because of adrenaline.

Chad was feeling a sudden pang of remorse for allowing his girlfriend to deal with this by herself, so he stepped forward to help.

He was cut off before he could even vocalize an offer with a curt, "Don't even think about fucking touching her," from Taylor. "We've gotten this far without your help; I think I can do the rest. I hope each of you callous, insensitive bastards rots in hell. You all deserve each other." Taylor didn't waste any time making these insults, she was walking to the door while she talked.

Chad stepped back, looking at Troy as he did so. Troy had watched the entire scene without a single muscle moving in his face. He looked completely apathetic. On the inside, he felt as though his stomach was being stabbed with a thousand knives; his heart broke more and more with each passing second as he worried for Gabriella's safety. Yet, even with all those thoughts 

running through his mind, he couldn't seem to make himself move to help her; something stopped him from stepping forward.

Gabriella's head rested on Taylor's shoulder and her long, dark hair draped over her arm as Taylor maneuvered her through the still-open front door, several students following behind her. She stepped cautiously down the ice-covered stairs, and shuffled through the increasing amount of snow on the ground. She set her gently into the passenger's seat of her car. As Taylor buckled Gabriella's seatbelt and shut the door on her sleeping form, she sent the most intimidating McKessie glare ever to the people standing on the porch watching. As Taylor looked back up the front steps of the formerly cheery house before getting into the driver's seat, she said to Chad and Troy, "You will both regret this until the day you die." With that she slammed the door shut and put her key in the ignition. Her taillights flashed as she carefully, but quickly, drove off into the night in the direction of the closest hospital.

Chad looked stunned by what had transpired as he walked back into the now quiet house. The only thought running through his mind was, 'She's never going to speak to me again.'

Troy did his best to deny Taylor's claim, though the image of Gabriella laying unconscious on the couch, completely helpless, had already begun to haunt him.


	2. The Way You Make Me Feel

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or Tristan and Isolde. Unfortunately for me. Hope you all enjoy number 2! ******

**FLASHBACK**

"Because of that, Troy Bolton, we're watching what I want to watch for movie night tonight. I was going to be nice and let you choose but, unfortunately for you, you decided to be a big ass," Gabriella stated with great conviction as she smiled wickedly at their friends. She and Troy were both big movie buffs and watching movies was one of their favorite things to do together. They were both extremely busy but they tried to plan a 'movie night' whenever possible. It was Gabriella's turn to pick but she was a big pushover and usually let Troy choose- unless he said something mean.

All of the boys at the lunch table with the couple groaned in commiseration as the girls laughed with glee.

"Good for you, Gabriella," Sharpay exclaimed. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"You'd be surprised," Taylor added, looking at Sharpay. "Though I am proud of you, Gabs!"

"Thanks a lot, girls!" Troy cried as Gabriella just smiled in amusement. "I can only imagine what she'll pick- probably some chick flick she doesn't even feel like watching just to piss me off."

Gabriella gasped in surprise, "Troy, do you honestly think I would do such a thing? That wasn't even close to what I was thinking, but now that you mention it..." Gabriella said with a sweet smile.

Chad, Zeke, and Jason only laughed as Troy groaned and put his head in hands.

Gabriella stood in front of the full length mirror hanging from her closet door trying to decide if she really liked the shirt she was wearing. She knew it would only come off in a matter of hours anyway but she still wanted to look good. Sometimes she thought about just deciding to forgo the trouble of picking out an outfit and not wearing anything when Troy came to her house, but she didn't want to make it too easy on him.

Her mom was gone again for the weekend, another business trip, so they had the house to themselves as they often did. Her mom was amazing and really easy to talk to, but unfortunately, depending on the way she looked at it, her mom had to be gone a lot for her job. It was nice on the weekend when Troy had the time to come over, he was usually insanely busy during the week because of basketball, but sometimes she got lonely. Taylor and Sharpay were pretty good about keeping her company but they had hectic lives, too.

She eventually chose a simple gray tunic dress and a pair of black leggings. Instead of taking the time to fix her hair the way she usually did for school, she left it long and curly the way Troy liked it best. Taking a deep breath to calm what felt like a lot more than just butterflies in her stomach, she gave herself one last look before checking the clock to see how much time she 

had before Troy got there. It had been a mere two months since the Lava Springs talent show and though they were basically back on track with their relationship, Gabriella still got apprehensive sometimes. Once the doorbell rang she left the mirror and bolted down the stairs, excited about being alone with Troy after a long, stressful week of school.

"Gabriellaaaaaaaa…" Troy called softly as he opened her front door.

As Gabriella reached the last step of the staircase in her foyer, she looked at Troy with a playful expression on her face. "Just who do you think you are, Troy Bolton? What makes you think you can just walk into my house without being invited in?"

It took Troy a few moments to respond, he was far too busy staring at the cleavage exposed by Gabriella's dress to worry about what was currently coming out of her mouth. He finally answered her saying, "Well, if that's the way you feel, darlin', I'll just take this lovely dinner of orange chicken and crab rangoon right back to my house."

As Troy turned around, making a move to go right back through the door he had just opened, Gabriella sprinted towards him and slammed the door shut before he could walk out. "I don't think that will be necessary, I mean why waste all that food?" she said in a nonchalant tone, trying to strike a relaxed pose.

"Uh huh, that's what I thought. At least now I know why you let me come over- so I can bring you Chinese food."

"Whew, I'm glad you figured it out, I was worried I might have to tell you myself."

Troy looked at down at the mischievous expression in his lovely girlfriend's eyes before dropping the bag of food to the floor and pinning her against her front door. He pressed a hard kiss against her lips while his hands circled her tiny waist, bringing her closer to his body. "What was that you were saying, LaLa," he questioned as he pulled away. The groan from deep in her throat made it hard not to lean forward and do it again.

Her eyes drifted open as she looked into his beautiful blue ones staring back at her. "I love it when you call me that," she said softly.

He pressed up against her again as he whispered in her ear, "I know, that's why I do it."

The nickname, never said in front of anyone else partly because they didn't want to explain how it came about, never failed to make shivers run up and down her spine. The night of the talent show they had gone to a deserted area in the mountains surrounding Albuquerque to talk in private about what they would do next in their relationship, and how they would move forward after all that had happened. The separation of the last few weeks had been too much for them, however, and they were unable to stop themselves from enjoying each others' company in more ways than one. They took it one step further than they had ever before as they celebrated their reunion. Gabriella had completely taken him by surprise when she pressed soft kisses down his naked chest, his shirt having been shed long before, and unzipped his jeans. Her hand had reached tentatively inside his boxers and taken out his rock-hard penis. As her mouth slipped over him with an innate skill for sending him to unbelievable heights of pleasure, he had been so aroused that as he tried to say the old nickname he had given her 

"Ella"- it came out "LaLa." Now every time they were alone that was what he called her, and she knew exactly what he was thinking about whenever he said it.

Gabriella continued to stare into her boyfriend's eyes until her stomach rumbled. "I'm sorry, that's not very attractive," she said as Troy just laughed.

"Well, seeing as how you're _sooooo_ hungry," he exclaimed in an exasperated tone, "I'll let you go for now. But don't think for one minute that this is over."

The look in his eyes was almost too much for Gabriella to take; she considered saying 'Screw the food' and dragging him upstairs to her bed, but fought the impulse. She had high hopes for tonight and she needed her strength- which meant she needed to eat. "Ohhh, I'm definitely scared now," she replied in a sarcastic tone as she slipped beneath his arm and sauntered off towards the living room where the TV was, stopping in the kitchen to grab two cans of coke. Troy couldn't help but smile as he watched her walk away, knowing the added sway was for his benefit.

Gabriella had already set up a DVD in the DVD player and picked up the remote before sitting down on the floor. She was turning the TV on and pressing play to start the movie as Troy walked into the room. "Come on, I'm hungry," she said impatiently as Troy started to unload the delicious smelling food from the white bag with the logo of their favorite restaurant on it.

"Okay, okay. Here you go," he said while handing her the box of crab rangoon, her favorite. "What are we watching tonight," he asked, his tone wary.

"Don't worry, it's a chick flick but it does have some pretty sweet fight scenes. I picked it out with you in mind," Gabriella told him, smiling.

"Ohh, great. I can't wait!" Troy responded with a false expression of excitement on his face, though he was interested to see what the movie was. The title of the movie finally appeared on the screen right before the first scene and he smiled as he realized it was the one he'd bought her for her birthday. "'Tristan and Isolde'? This shouldn't be as bad as I thought. Although I know you only picked this one because you think James Franco is hot."

"Think what you want," Gabriella laughed. "But you better be nice to me now, Bolton, or I'll tell our friends that you like 'Tristan and Isolde'." With a huge grin on her face she stole a piece of his chicken and winked at him.

"You wouldn't dare…" The look of horror in Troy's eyes was priceless and her smile widened at the thought of what their friends would say if she told them that.

"I will if you're not nice! Now shut up and watch the movie!"

Troy only grumbled slightly as he took their empty cartons of food and put them back in the bag. He took a minute by himself to breathe by walking into the kitchen to throw the bag away.

"Troy, come back or you're going to miss the first fight scene!"

"Can't have that can we," Troy's sarcastic retort came as he walked back into the living room.

Gabriella only smiled as she lay down on the couch and patted the space next to her indicating he should lie down, too. Troy knew resistance was futile, so he lay down and put his arm 

around her shoulders, sighing as her head fell in its usual place on his chest- her right hand on his stomach.

Gabriella cried, as he knew she would, when little Tristan's mom and dad died and he stroked her arm in comfort while wiping away her tears. _'This is like the seventeenth time she's seen this movie- why does she still cry?'_ he thought to himself.

"Shut up, I can hear what you're thinking," Gabriella said angrily while punching him in the leg as hard as she could, not hurting him at all.

"That's creepy, Montez." Troy never knew how she did that, but he could swear sometimes she was psychic. She didn't respond as her eyes remained trained on the movie. Troy fell asleep soon after and she was left to watch her movie in peace, no annoying comments from a bored boyfriend.

**Isolde**: Know that I love you Tristan. Wherever you go, whatever you see. I will always be with you.  
**Tristan**: You were right. I don't know if life is greater than death. But love was more than either.

Gabriella cried at their last words, pain striking her heart at the mere thought of ever losing Troy. When the movie ended, Gabriella turned the DVD player off with the remote at her side. Tears still streaked down her face but she couldn't help but laugh when she looked at the unconscious boy next to her. He must have been having a good dream because one of his body parts was particularly _perky_. She kissed his eyes, cheeks, nose and then his lips; his face getting wet as tears continued falling from her eyes. Troy woke up almost instantaneously as he felt 

her lips on his own. His smile fell as soon as he felt the wetness on her cheeks and he hugged her to his hard chest.

"Why do you do this to yourself," he asked her, just like he did every time she watched a movie that made her cry.

"The story's just so beautiful, I can't help it. But it scares me to think we could've ended up like them- not dead, I mean not together. I love you so much, I can hardly bear to think about what would happen if I ever lost you. We came so close to that this summer and I just don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't think that way, baby. You can't worry about the future; all we have is right now. Anyway, as much as I love you- you know I could never really leave you." Troy's heartfelt reply was nearly Gabriella's undoing. He pressed his lips against hers, comforting her the best way he knew how.

Gabriella's response was vigorous, needing him to make her feel better in that special way he had perfected. She moaned as his lips left hers, but she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly upstairs to her bedroom.

He didn't hesitate to push her dress up around her waist and slide his hands beneath the gray cotton. They were no longer tentative or nervous around each other when it came to all things sexual and this particular moment was especially urgent. When Gabriella lifted her arms, allowing Troy to continue pushing on her dress until it slipped over head, he felt his heart begin to race even faster. The look in Gabriella's eyes was enough to bring Troy to his knees as he 

pushed her lightly to lie down on the bed. From his knees, he slid one hand up her exquisitely formed leg to the elastic band of her leggings around her waist. He kept eye contact as he began to gently roll them down, slowing his movements to prolong the moment the way he knew she secretly loved. Her eyes drifted closed as he tossed the leggings behind him and stared her body, clad in only a red lace thong and strapless red bra.

"Do you know what you do to me," he whispered softly as his fingers trailed lightly up her inner thigh and around to her flat stomach.

"Hopefully what you do to me," was the only response she was able to make as his talented fingers inserted themselves between her skin and the fabric of her bra. The slight wiggle, caused by the tingles running through her body, almost made him lose his mind. Suddenly unable to remain patient, he took two handfuls of the bra and ripped it right down the middle. As her lovely breasts were bared, he couldn't help but gasp. She was so fucking beautiful, every time felt like the first time.

As he touched the hardened nipple of her right breast with the tip of his finger, she whispered softly, "That was my favorite bra, you're gonna pay for that." On the inside she knew she would never ask for compensation. That action, followed by the steamy look she felt all the way to her bones, almost made her come before they really even got started.

Troy only chuckled as he quickly climbed on the bed to replace his finger with his mouth, lightly biting her nipple before soothing it with a gentle lick of his tongue. Gabriella couldn't help but gasp as she wondered how she had ever lived before she felt him do that. His lips left her nipple as he trailed kisses between her breasts to show the other one similar attention. Her groan 

when he pulled away, only to press his mouth against her neck, made the organ between his legs throb painfully. He pushed her legs apart and moved between them to show her exactly how she was making him feel.

"LaLa," he whispered in a rough voice as his lips grazed her ear.

"Wha- what," she stuttered, barely able to form a coherent thought as he bit down on her neck.

"I'm going to make you scream my name," he said, finally looking into her eyes as her body shuddered beneath him. "And just when you think I'm finished, I'm going to do it all over again."

Gabriella wasn't sure if mere words could make you have an orgasm, especially if they were said while no contact was being made with the necessary body parts. IF it was possible, she would have sworn she'd just had one. She couldn't help but ask in an impatient tone, "What the fuck are you waiting for?"


	3. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical!! If I did, Troy Bolton would've been shirtless a lot more often during both movies!

I'm sorry if the spacing in my stories is messed up, making it hard to read. I haven't quite figured out how it all works yet, it looks okay before I upload it so I don't know what happens. Thanks for reading! I really appreciate the reviews (I've only gotten two, though haha) so if you have a moment… I know everyone probably hates to hear that but, although I love writing this story, I don't want to waste my time if no one likes it! Thanks again!

**CONTINUATION OF FLASHBACK IN CHAPTER TWO**

At her words, spoken in the sexiest voice Troy had ever heard in his life, he roughly brought his lips against hers, feeling her arms twine themselves around his neck. His hands pulled the torn bra from underneath her trembling body and tossed it across the room. He pushed himself off her to take off his shirt and quickly shed his jeans. The flush on her cheeks intensified when he kneeled down on her bed between her legs and she recognized his intention. He brought one leg up to his lips and kissed her knee, moving quickly her up thigh. Bending down even more, he moved over to her other leg while he murmured reverently, "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life."

Her eyes filled with tears at the note of sincerity in his words before her stomach tightened. His lips continued to crawl at a snail's pace to the part of her body where she craved his touch the most. "Troy, please," she cried.

"At your service," were his last words before he quickly pulled her damp panties down her legs. He put each knee on the carpet of her bedroom and pulled her body to the edge of her bed. He waited a few more seconds, letting the anticipation build, before he let his tongue finally touch her in the most intimate way- finally giving them both what they wanted. His tongue found it's way inside of her, pulsing in and out.

"Oh, God. TROOOOOOOY!!" Gabriella screamed as she came. Troy put a hand on her shaking body to steady her as her orgasm rocked her to the core, making her torso momentarily leave the bed catching some serious air. Small shivers continued to wrack her body as he continued to lick her clitoris and then sucked it into his mouth. Not missing a beat, Troy didn't even think about stopping.

Gabriella could barely believe what he was making her feel; she trembled as she heard him say in the sexy voice he only used at moments like these, "Open your eyes."

Gabriella had never found anything so difficult in her life but she managed to get each one half open, and she raised her head a few inches off the bed to look him in the eyes. Kneeling before her, with a look of awe on his face, was her incredibly talented boyfriend. The look of love in his eyes was unmistakable, and she knew it was reflected in her own.

"Get ready," he whispered. "Here we go again."

As he lowered his mouth back to her clit, Gabriella felt her head fall back to the bed and moaned loudly as he put two fingers inside of her.

"Do you like that, LaLa?"

Gabriella couldn't respond, she was so overcome by pleasure.

"Answer me or I'll stop," he warned as she felt his fingers start to reverse their direction and slide out of her body. When she still failed to respond, he immediately quit what he was doing. "Gabriella," he said in a stern tone.

She opened her eyes again, the glare disappearing when she saw the two fingers that had been giving her so much pleasure only seconds ago, deep inside his mouth. When their eyes connected he moaned, tormenting her further by saying, "Mmmm, LaLa. It's too bad I had to stop."

"Don't tease me, you know I love it when you do that," Gabriella finally managed to get out, her breathless voice barely audible.

"That's what I like to hear," Troy said even as he pushed those two marvelous fingers back inside of her.

"Don't stop," Gabriella screamed only moments before she came the second time. She thought for sure he was done, how long could he hold on? He'd already given her two orgasms and he hadn't even had one.

"Would you like a massage, baby," he whispered softly in her ear.

The only response Gabriella was capable of making was a nearly incoherent, "Mmm hmm."

"Turn over."

"I don't know if I can," Gabriella tried to explain as her weak arms failed to lift her body from the bed even an inch.

"Okay, because I'm feeling nice, I'll help you." Troy laughed softly at the disbelieving expression on her face as he turned her gently on to her stomach, easing her forward so her entire body was back on the bed. His erection was so hard it was nearly painful and his body cried out for release, but there was nothing Troy loved more than making Gabriella feel good so he figured he could wait a few more minutes.

He grabbed the bottle of massage oil from where he'd stashed it in the vey back of the drawer of the nightstand by her bed the last time he'd stayed the night. This was the first time he'd ever done this and he wanted to make it memorable. The smell of jasmine quickly permeated the room as he poured some of the pink liquid into his hand, arousing their senses even more- if possible. As he placed either hand on Gabriella's back, quickly rubbing the oil into her neck and shoulders, the sighs coming from her mouth almost made him rethink his decision about waiting for his own release. Gritting his teeth in determination, he continued the strokes he knew would bring his girlfriend to another peak of arousal. He had straddled her back in order to make himself more comfortable, and keep her within reach without having to keep kneeling on the floor.

His hands left her shoulders to gently rub her neck; he found the spot behind her ear that he knew drove her wild. Her moan when he found it was enough to tell him he was doing a fairly decent job.

Gabriella's entire body was full of jelly, her limbs were too heavy for her to even think about moving them. The way Troy was touching her, stroking her, loving her was enough to bring tears to her eyes. _She loved him so much._

She moaned deeply at his caresses on her neck and encouraged him by saying, "Oh, God, Troy. You're absolutely amazing."

Her eyes widened as he leaned down to tantalize her even more, breathing in her ear, "You haven't seen anything yet. We've only just finished the appetizer."

She closed her eyes, unable to imagine what he else he could possibly dream of doing to her. She decided to let him have free reign over her body, even if she didn't want him to continue- she was so exhausted from being driven over the edge twice in a row- there wasn't a thing in the world she could've done to stop him. She was completely pliant and willing, and he knew it.

His hands drifted down to her lower back, kneading gently. She started to pant softly as she began to imagine what he might do next. Those hands of gold drifted even lower to massage the jasmine scented oil into the cheeks of his favorite part of her body, besides her face. And her breasts. And legs. And mind. Hell, he loved every single part of her and he would never be able to pick just one. He slid his body down hers, now leaning over legs.

She gasped as his fingers trailed slowly from the top of her ass, down to the sides of her hips, curving down the slope of each thigh and settling between them. He didn't even think of stopping himself from leaning forward and gently sinking his teeth into the flesh he had been admiring for so long. Gabriella's gasp only spurred him on as he sucked on her skin, leaving a small red mark.

"Hmmm," he murmured. "Tastes like jasmine."

Gabriella, taken aback by his actions, could do nothing but sign in pleasure as he kept loving her. Kneading gently at her hamstrings and the muscles in her upper thighs, he couldn't help but stare at the glistening lips of her vagina. He longed to taste her again and surprised even himself by abruptly flipping her body back over and lying down between her legs. Troy slipped an arm under each leg to bring them over his shoulders; he pressed his mouth against the place Gabriella had been longing for him to touch since he had stopped only moments before. He gently sucked her clit into his mouth once more, enjoying the taste of his girlfriend on his tongue. His lovingly laved her core as he brought his fingers up to her body. He ever so slowly pushed his fingers back inside of her and thrust them quickly in and out. After all the stimulation Gabriella had received at the hands of Troy, pun intended, it didn't even take a minute for her to be brought to her third peak of pleasure. Her primal scream pierced the air, his surprise causing him to lift his head to watch her face until Gabriella found the strength to grab his hair and push him back down while she rode out her orgasm.

As the trembles of her body started to lessen, she took notice that Troy was now laying next to her, his head on her chest.

"Ohhh, my Lord, Troy Bolton."

Troy raised his head and gazed into her eyes before smugly asking, "Yes?"

"Why have you never done THAT before?"

"Quite honestly, I've never had the patience but tonight I somehow persuaded myself to wait and show you exactly how much you mean to me. I love you, LaLa."

"Don't think we're done just yet," Gabriella said with a glint in her dark brown eyes.

Troy couldn't help but smile in anticipation of what would come next. Gabriella gathered her strength and heaved herself on top of her boyfriend, lying flush against his body. She kissed his lips softly, tasting herself.

"Troy Bolton, you may have made me scream your name, but I'm going to make you forget what it is."

Troy's stomach clenched as he felt her slips latch on to the skin of his neck and begin to suck. One hand came up to brush against his left nipple and she whispered softly, "Do you like it when I touch you like this?"

"What do you think," he asked breathlessly.

"Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Bolton. Watch your tone. I could tie you up here and leave you for hours. I'll be sorely tempted if you get mouthy."

While saying this, Gabriella had thrown his arms above his head and placed her hands on each forearm, continuing to straddle his waist. Although Troy knew she was speaking to him, he couldn't comprehend what exactly she was saying. She'd lost him at, "I could tie you up…"

"Baby, I'm sorry. Please don't stop." Even though he didn't know what she'd said, he knew from the look in her eyes that he should apologize if he wanted her to continue.

"That's more like it!" Gabriella resumed her ministrations in the same spot where she'd stopped, latching her mouth back onto the side of his neck. "Hmmm, I love the way you taste."

Her words made him groan in pleasure and she smiled as she continued to move down his body, closer and closer to that part of his body aching for her touch. She sucked his right nipple into her mouth while her right hand continued caressing the other. She licked a slow line across his chest before finally giving his left nipple the attention it deserved. She didn't stop sucking until both were hard and aching. The look on his face was pure agony as he waited for what he really wanted.

"LaLa, please," he whined as her lips trailed at an unbelievably slow pace down his stomach. Her tongue delved deeply into his belly button, making his eyes shoot back open.

"Not so much fun waiting is it, Bolton?"

"I know, I know… but, please."

"Ahhh," Gabriella gasped. "Is the wildcat superstar begging?"

"Yes, I will happily admit it if you will just end this torture!"

"Whatever you say, wildcat."

Gabriella finally took pity on the poor man lying prone on her bed and stood up. She took a piece of his boxers in either hand as he lifted his hips. She pulled them down quickly before climbing back on top of him to sit on his legs. She wasted no time sucking his engorged, pulsating member into her mouth. She held it deep in her throat while continuing to suck for several seconds before sitting back up.

"Are you sure you want this, Bolton? I don't know if you can handle it- I wouldn't want to…"

Gabriella's words trailed off as Troy, finally having had enough of her teasing, flipped her over so she lay on her back on the bed. "That is enough, Gabriella! Do you ever stop talking?" The tone of his voice only served to arouse her even more. He leaned over her, shoving her legs apart. His face buried itself in her neck, biting down while sliding his throbbing penis into her warm body, finally feeling the relief he'd been longing for since dragging her up the stairs. His body gyrated at a rhythm Gabriella found impossible to maintain. For lack of a better idea, she swung her legs around his hips and held on for the ride.

"Harder, Troy, I'm almost there," Gabriella screamed into his ear as he continued to thrust in and out of her body.

"Aaaaaghhhh!" Their cries were simultaneous as they came together, collapsing into a satiated heap.

Moments later, after taking some time for recovery, Troy raised himself on his forearms looking down at Gabriella's peaceful face. Her chest still heaved from all the exertion and he watched, mesmerized as her breasts rose and fell.

"I love it when that happens." Her declaration took him by surprise and he looked up to find her eyes still closed.

"Yeah, I like it quite a bit, too," Troy said in a self-satisfied tone.

"Not that, asshole," Gabriella countered, laughing softly, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "I love it when we finish together, it's like we're as close as two people can possibly be in this world."

Troy's face softened as her eyes finally opened and locked onto his. "I know exactly what you mean."

The following kiss was the sweetest of the whole night.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**A/N: I'm sorry if that was the longest love scene ever, but they're my favorite part. Lol I've never written one before though so I hope it wasn't awful! Don't forget to review! It's almost like I can't stop myself from writing , so there may be another chapter up tomorrow!**


	4. Everybody Hurts

**Well, I don't have much to say except R&R!**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own High School Musical or anything else in the story besides the plot. These fabulous characters all come from Disney!

**PRESENT**

Gabriella felt like death. 'Well, maybe not quite. That might be a little dramatic,' she thought to herself. Without even opening her eyes she could feel the pain coursing through her body. Did hospital doctors show no mercy anymore? Where the hell was the morphine?

Gabriella groaned softly as she tried to pry open one eye, she cried out when she felt the skin on the hand that she had been planning to use to help things along pull taut.

"Gabs!" Taylor was immediately at her bedside, rising from her uneasy perch on the other side of the room. "Don't move your hand, there's an IV in it."

"Thanks, I know that now," Gabriella laughed softly, though nothing was funny. "What the hell happened to me, Tay?"

"We were at Chad's…"

"Ohhh, fuck my life." Gabriella's mind was a complete blank; she was unable to remember anything after 5 o'clock the evening before but she knew it couldn't be good if it ended like this. She hesitated before asking aloud "What did I do now?"

"It's okay, I was sober- you didn't do anything bad. You just had A LOT to drink and you passed out," Taylor assured the anguished girl lying in front of her.

"How did I end up here? Please tell me you didn't call an ambulance," Gabriella pleaded, another burst of horror running through her veins.

"I came close but I didn't. I drove you here myself." Gabriella looked deep into Taylor's eyes, knowing she was holding something back.

"Wow, I don't remember anything, not even getting here," Gabriella said softly. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Tay. You're my best friend and I would never purposely put you through that. I had no idea I drank that much. What exactly happened?"

"Its okay, Gabs," Taylor replied in a comforting voice. "I know you didn't mean to, I understand. Let's not worry about it now, okay?" Taylor was secretly grateful that Gabs had been passed out cold at the time they left the party; she wouldn't want her to remember the scene as it had actually occurred.

"What would I ever do without you, Taylor McKessie," Gabriella asked with a rueful smile.

"I hope neither one of us ever has to find out. On that note, however, I'm going to run home. It's about 4 AM and I called my parents to tell them I'd be late but I need to get some sleep. I'll be back to get you later, the doctor said you could go home at about noon."

"Thank you so much, Taylor. You go on home, get some sleep. But don't think because you don't want to talk about what happened last night doesn't mean I won't ask. You can't avoid it forever. Oh, by the way, did you call my mom?"

"Yeah, I did. She said to say she's sorry she couldn't be here for you and she'll be home as soon as she can. Also, you two are going to have a long talk when she gets home." Taylor's voice had a note of pity in it, knowing her friend was in hot water with her mom.

"Alright, that's not too bad, I guess. Thanks, Tay. I'll see you later. We WILL talk about last night and you WILL tell me everything though."

"At your own risk, Gabs," Taylor whispered quietly as she left the room.

"Holy shit," Gabriella exclaimed to herself once she was alone. She couldn't believe she had let this happen, and she didn't know if she could bear to hear what Taylor wasn't saying. She drifted back into a restless sleep while trying to ignore the pain in her body- though it didn't come close to the pain in her heart. She prayed her dreams wouldn't haunt her the way they did almost every night.

Troy slipped into the hospital unnoticed by anyone in the hallways, heading straight to room 408. He had called earlier to get the number and hung up on the perky voice telling him visiting hours didn't start until 10 AM. He wasn't feeling too great, he had a killer hangover, but there 

was no way he could wait that long. He didn't want to admit to himself that not wanting to be seen was only part of the reason he came in early. He was grateful that last night after Gabriella and Taylor had left for the hospital, he had gone home. Coming up with an explanation for his running out the door at eight AM from Chad's would've been difficult. His parents hadn't even been awake yet, so they weren't an issue. He wouldn't have enjoyed explaining his morning adventure to them either.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost passed 408, but caught himself at the last minute. Troy pulled the hood of his sweatshirt even tighter around his face before slowly opening the door. He couldn't stop his heart from plummeting at the sight of his former lover and best friend lying unconscious on the bed. He used to think there was never a time that Gabriella Montez looked more beautiful than when she was sleeping, but he hated to see her so ill like this. Her dark lashes lay closed, so long they almost touched her cheekbones. Her hair, slightly matted from the events of the previous night, was in a low ponytail that draped over her shoulder. She twitched slightly and made a quiet noise of distress; Troy couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming about. When they were still together he would sleep at her house while her mom was away and her twitching would wake him up during the night. She would always apologize but he thought it was adorable. Whenever he touched her, in the midst of the jerky movements, she had always calmed down and snuggled back into his body. He missed those moments, though he couldn't even admit that to himself much less say it aloud. Relief washed over him having seen that she was breathing on her own and only had the one IV in her hand.

He reached out to touch her, giving himself just a moment. Her eyes snapped open as his skin came into contact with hers. She heard a small noise of surprise come from within her own throat but made no other movements. He immediately bristled, everything inside of him tensed and his hand snapped back to hang at his side.

Troy's ice blue eyes locked on to the chocolate brown of Gabriella's. "I was never here," he ground out in a malicious whisper.

"Oh, but you were."

"Don't read too much into it, bitch. I'm leaving." Troy walked quickly out of the room, not bothering to shut the door.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Bolton," Gabriella whispered softly to the silent room. The tears never came, there weren't any left.

"Gaaabs," Taylor sang in her lovely voice as she walked briskly into Gabriella's room.

"What's got you so perky this morning, Sunshine?" Gabriella's bright smile warmed Taylor's heart; it had been far too long. Gabriella had resolved to not let her morning conversation with Troy affect her; she had finally, despite an unexpected setback the night before, been able to 

reach a good place mentally. Just that morning she had promised herself that no more would she let Troy's treatment of her make her a miserable shell of her former self; she had to forgive herself and get back to the land of the living.

"Well, we still have a week of winter break left which is always good. AND… Shar and I had an interesting conversation on my way over here."

"Oh, gosh, I can only imagine. Not another interesting convo with, Shar!"

"I heard that, Gabriella Montez," shrieked Sharpay Evans.

Taylor laughed as she looked at Gabriella's surprised face. "Sorry, Gabs! That conversation took place in my car after I picked her up on my way here!"

"Sharpay!" Gabriella had to fight the giggles threatening to erupt from her mouth as Sharpay walked into the room and leveled a pointed glare directly at her.

Upon seeing her dear friend's smiling face, a much missed sight, Sharpay felt whatever disgruntlement she may have had dissipate quickly. Taylor had told her all about what had happened at Chad's the night before and how Gabriella had been asking about it. The smile on Gabriella's face now made her regret the fact that Gabriella would ever have to know. She smiled back at the brunette lying on the bed.

"How ya feelin', babe? I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you last night."

"Don't worry about it, not a problem. I'll feel a lot better once I can get home! How are you feeling? I take it you passed out at like what? 8 PM?"

"Excuse me, Gabs, I don't think you can judge. I'm not the one in the hospital."

"Touche." Gabriella felt properly chastised and gave the statuesque blond a quick smile, which was returned immediately. "So, what was that interesting convo about? I'm dying to know."

"Well," Sharpay started, darting a quick glance at Taylor, "we were thinking maybe we should start planning for spring break."

"Oh, yeah? Where do you wanna go? I've never gone anywhere before," Gabriella asked curiously.

"Are you serious?!" Even Taylor was surprised by this admission.

"Yeah, really. I was never in one place long enough to make close friends to go on vacation with and my mom was always working."

"Well then we absolutely have to go," both girls exclaimed at the same time. They looked at each other in astonishment and laughed, they were friends but it was definitely unusual for Taylor McKessie and Sharpay Evans to say the same thing at the same time.

"Where do you want to go? I take it you already have a place in mind," the petite girl could already feel her excitement about the idea building. She was positive her mom would let her go.

"Well, Mommy and Daddy have a little place on the beach in Daytona Beach."

"Don't let her fool you." Gabriella looked at Taylor with raised eyebrows as the dark girl continued, "It's not little, I've seen pictures."

They all laughed, recognizing the irony of what Sharpay had said. She usually exaggerated _everything._

"Sounds awesome, I'm getting excited. Now let's get me out of here! The doctor came by a little early this morning so I've already gotten my discharge papers, I was just waiting on you."

Both girls looked at each other, relieved that Gabriella liked the idea, as they helped her down from the bed. They handed her the clothes from the bags they had brought from their own homes so she would have something to wear out of the hospital besides a backless gown, noting the way she went to the bathroom to change when three months ago it wouldn't have fazed her to change in front of them.

"Troy!" The voice of Lucille Bolton carried up the stairs as Troy fought not to hear her.

"What, Mom?" He only responded because he knew she wouldn't quit until he answered her. His parents had been worried about him the past few months, he definitely didn't take the attitude with them that he did everyone else, but they knew something was wrong. His dad had heard from the guys on the basketball team that he and Gabriella had broken up but whenever his parents asked him about it, he brushed them off. There was nothing to say.

"Nothing, honey. I just wanted to know if you were here." Troy was silently thankful that his mom had woken him up; he was pissed at himself for dreaming about her again. Maybe going back to bed after getting home from the hospital wasn't such a bright idea, the visit with Gabriella was still fresh in his mind. He hated Gabriella Montez more than anything else in the world. And unfortunately for Troy, a part of him, the part that made him go see her in the hospital to make sure she was going to be alright, still cared, too. He was so conflicted over his feelings and it made him hate her even more because she could do this to him.

Trying so hard to act so cold all the time was exhausting, but he knew it had to be done. Troy was afraid that if he let himself go for even one moment, he'd fall part. This was the only way. He had made her life a living hell the past two months and he felt no guilt because of it. She had been the one to do something _so awful_, _so terrible_ that **their love**, a love he thought was stronger than any other, had shattered. Troy pulled the headphones and iPod from his bedside table towards him and pushed the buds into his ears. As the sounds of REM soothed him, he prayed his dreams didn't pick up where they had left off.

"Everybody Hurts"

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,  
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.  
Don't let yourself go, everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.

Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along.  
When your day is night alone, hold on, hold on  
If you feel like letting go, hold on  


When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on.

Everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends.  
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand.  
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,  
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,  
Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes.  
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on.  
Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on.

**FLASHBACK**

"Ella, I had no idea you liked REM." Troy was shocked, how could he not know that his girlfriend liked one of his favorite bands?

"There are plenty of things you don't know about me, Troy Bolton," Gabriella responded flirtatiously, winking at the blue-eyed boy going through her CD collection while she sat her on bed.

"Oh, really? Like what?" Troy found it hard to believe there could be anything he didn't know about Gabriella, he felt like he'd known her his whole life.

"Well, if I haven't told you then maybe I don't want you to know." Gabriella never missed a beat. As Troy looked up at her the light in her eyes let him know she was teasing him.

He got up from his place on the floor, putting the CDs in his lap next to the stack he'd already gone through. "You, Miss Montez, are cruisin'," Troy threatened, smiling back.

They'd only been dating for a few weeks, it was just two months after they met on vacation, but it was times like these when Gabriella knew she was lucky to have Troy. They always had such a blast whenever they were together.

Troy sat down on her bed then crawled across, coming closer to Gabriella. She smiled, recognizing the dangerous look in his eye. She couldn't help but laugh as he lunged toward her, but fell stomach down on the bed when she leapt up.

"Catch me," she called, running from the room.

"With pleasure," he yelled back, chasing her down the hallway.

When he finally got close enough, he swung his arms around either side of her body pulling her close. Her back was pressed up against his chest and he had locked her arms in an 'X' across the front of her body, holding tightly to her wrists. The pounding of her heart against his arm made Troy's smile grow, and he let go of her in order to turn her so she was facing him. He looked down into her beautiful brown eyes- he knew this was it. The moment they'd been anticipating for weeks was finally here. No nervousness from either side accompanied this moment, they were both excited at the prospect of their relationship moving forward. Troy leaned his head down as Gabriella stood up tall, their lips meeting in a sweet, chaste kiss- their very first one. The smiles on their faces couldn't have been wiped away for anything in the world.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**N/A - I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Don't forget to let me know what you think!**


	5. Crash & Burn

**R&R!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical, these amazing characters, or anything else besides the plot and the poem, which I wrote. Thanks for reading! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!**

The ride to Gabriella's house from the hospital was full of excited chatter about the girls' spring break plans. They would save money from not having to rent a house and would be able to do more while on vacation. Taylor and Sharpay were telling Gabriella all about how much fun she would have parasailing, jet skiing and surfing. Their excitement was making the wait seem longer by the minute and Gabriella finally changed the subject because she didn't think she could take it anymore! When they arrived at her house Taylor helped her out of the passenger's seat and up the sidewalk to the front door. Sharpay, carrying Gabriella's purse, handed Taylor Gabriella's house keys so she could let them all inside. Gabriella was so glad to be home, she had actually been shocked that the doctor was willing to release her without her mom present since she was a minor. He had agreed, however, to fax her mom a consent form which she signed so Gabriella wouldn't have to wait until she got back to Albuquerque.

"Thanks for so much for doing this, girls. It really means a lot to me." Gabriella could hardly express to her friends how grateful she was for their support.

"You know we're always here for you, Gabs." Taylor said, tearing up slightly at the look on Gabriella's face as she sat down on the couch in the front room.

Sharpay just nodded, not sure she could speak through the tears welling in her eyes. She moved to sit next to Taylor so she could offer her support since she knew what was coming.

"Well, I'm sure you girls have things to do today so let's get started. I want to know exactly what happened last night, I hate it when I blackout. I'm sure something must have happened because neither of you have mentioned the night at all, not even a funny story which is pretty unusual. Stop avoiding the subject and just get it over with and tell me." Taylor knew there was no way she was going to get out of this one, the look in Gabriella's eyes was dead serious. Gabriella sat down in the chair across from the couch, staring directly at Taylor so there was no way her best friend could escape her gaze.

"Okay, Gabs. If you really want to know, I'll tell you. Just know this- it's bad. Not in the way that you think, but it's still bad," warned Taylor gently.

"Stop being dramatic, you're turning into Sharpay!" Gabriella's attempt to lighten the mood didn't work at all; even Sharpay didn't have a retort to that comment, which made Gabriella even more wary.

"Last night, once we got to the party- you were already pretty much smashed. I don't know if you remember this or not, but you drank pretty much all of the stuff my sister got for you before we even left your house. If you don't remember what she bought for you- it was a fifth of raspberry vodka which you mixed with sprite. You kept saying over and over that you just wanted to let loose and forget about everything. I tried to tell you that using alcohol to do that wasn't the right way to go about it, but you told me that just one night wouldn't hurt anything." Taylor paused to take a deep breath for continuing.

"I lost track of you for a few minutes because as soon as we walked in the door we saw Troy. You took off for the basement and I'm pretty sure you bonged a beer when you got down there." Gabriella grimaced at her words, mixing alcohol types was always a baaaad idea. "I saw you again about an hour after the beer bong and you were dancing with some senior. You looked pretty content where you were 

so I left you, I was hoping that you would be too busy dancing to drink anything else for awhile. So I went to talk to Chad and we hung out in the living room for about an hour, I figured you would come find me if you needed me. Sharpay had already gone home by then, but she'd been in the living room with me, Chad and Zeke anyway so she didn't see what you were doing. When I walked back down to the basement to check on you again, you were on the coffee table- dancing. The boys were offering you more alcohol if you'd start taking off your clothes."

Taylor's words pierced Gabriella's heart and made her face burn in shame. She didn't know how she could've done something so stupid, drunk or not. "I'm so sorry, Taylor, I feel awful."

"I know you do, Gabs. I'm not mad, I just hope you understand how bad it was and I hope you don't ever do it again."

"Gabby," Sharpay said softly," we've all done stupid stuff. Don't worry about it too much; last night was just your night. Just learn from it."

"Thanks, Shar." Gabriella hesitated, shifting her body in the chair, before asking, "Is there more?"

"Yeah, Gabs. There is." Taylor searched the petite girl's face in front her before resuming the story. "I got through the crowd to pull you off the table, you were a little mad that I was interrupting your fun, but you came willingly. I warned you that we were going to leave in 10 minutes before you did something _really_ stupid. Sorry, I could've chosen a better word for it," Taylor laughed mirthlessly, getting up from her seat to stand in front of the big, bay window in Gabriella's living room, staring at the other houses in the neighborhood without really seeing them. "You were afraid to come back upstairs with me because you didn't want to see Troy again. I forced you up though and took you to the bathroom so you could throw up if you needed to before we left. I didn't want you to vomit in my car," she said with a quick glance over her shoulder. "You stood over the toilet and gagged for a minute but you never threw 

up. I left you sitting on the bathroom floor so I could go get you a cup of water. You had started mumbling once we got inside the bathroom about how you hated Troy, he'd ruined your life and you were afraid to see him. I guess you didn't stop after I left the room because when I came back- Troy was in the bathroom with you. He must've walked in not knowing anyone else was in there and heard you saying his name. I stood and listened to what he was saying for a minute before he knew I was there; he sounded so pissed. From his responses I could tell that you had been saying pretty much the same thing as before: He's a big asshole, you don't deserve to be treated the way he treats you and you wished you had never met him. I'm sure you basically know what his responses were and I didn't bother to really listen to them. I knocked on the door jamb before he got too into what he was saying and he left as soon as he saw me standing there. I helped you up and we were on our way out the door when you stopped to tell people 'good-bye.' One second we were standing there talking to that weird guy from homeroom and the next thing I knew- you were falling. I caught you and put you on that green couch in Chad's living room," Taylor's voice started to wobble, remembering. "You're so tiny, Gabs, it wasn't even hard to lift you. I got you ready to go and we left. That's it."

Gabriella hesitated a minute before responding, tears running down her own face. "You got me ready all by yourself? I figured I'd at least been conscious the whole time. I thought I just blacked out. That can't be the end of the story," Gabriella said in disbelief. "How did you get me to your car? Surely you couldn't carry me all that way by yourself…"

Taylor glanced at Sharpay before turning her attention back to the window, "I did it, Gabs. I didn't have a choice."

"You mean no one…?"

"Yeah, Gabs. That's what I mean."

"Not even Chad? Or what about my other friends, I still have some friends! No one, no one even cared?" Gabriella stood up, running her fingers through her hair as the pitch of her voice rose higher and higher. She could see clearly in her mind the scene that Taylor described.

Taylor choked up at Gabriella's obvious distress. "You know how Troy is, Gabs. They were scared. They all wanted to help I'm sure, some of the girls were even crying. They were just scared." Taylor almost mentioned her break-up with Chad because of his refusal to help, she wanted Gabriella to know she had her support 0, but she didn't want to add to the poor girl's tears by making her worry about that idiot she used to call her boyfriend. Taylor didn't regret her decision in the least.

"Oh my God. Why do they even bother to talk to me at all then? Why bother to pretend like we're friends? No true friend would do that. I… I- I don't even know…" Gabriella's voice dissolved into loud sobs. As Taylor turned from the window, she saw Gabriella's knees buckle and caught her for the second time in 24 hours before she hit the ground. They both sank to the floor, one supporting the other. Sharpay moved quickly from her seat on the couch to sit next to the two crying girls on the carpet, her own soft cries mirroring theirs.

"It's not fair, Tay, it's just not fair," Gabriella hiccupped as Taylor rocked her softly. Sharpay ran her hands gently through Gabriella's hair as they tried to offer what comfort they could.

"I know, Gabs," was all Taylor could choke out as the tiny brunette's body shook harder and harder with sobs from deep inside her soul.

"AAAAGGGHHHH!" Troy's yell echoed through the expanse of the gym as he missed another shot. He'd finally gotten out of bed around 1 and couldn't think of anything to do besides run down to the gym and practice. He slammed the ball as he hard as he could against the wall, cursing his inability to make even 

the easiest of shots. He needed to do something to clear his head, anything at all. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his list of contacts eventually choosing the name of a random girl.

"Hey, uhhh," Troy said when the girl answered, trying to remember which name he'd picked. "Hey, sexy. Do you wanna hang out?" Going with a pet name seemed like the easiest way to fix the problem and he wasn't the least bit surprised when she automatically accepted. He was Troy Bolton after all.

"Yeah, look hot for me, baby. I'll be there in a half hour." Troy made the last shot he attempted as he started to hurry into the locker room to take a shower before his rendezvous with 'sexy.'

Gabriella lay on her bed daydreaming about her old life, her life _before_. She had sent Taylor and Sharpay home soon after the story about the night before was over, she needed sometime to just be alone and think. The worn creative writing notebook she'd saved from a class she'd taken at another school had been pulled from her closet and lay open on her bed. Spending the last two hours writing one of her best works had helped ease the pain just a little. Ever since that semester when she'd taken the creative writing class at the high school in Chicago, she found writing a great way to relieve stress. Not many people knew about her poetry, she was too shy to show it to them, but it never failed to put things into perspective for her. She couldn't believe that earlier that morning she had been feeling so optimistic, so excited about her new outlook on life. And here she was, back at square one.

Crash & Burn

As I sit here and miss you,

I ask myself, why me?

You are who I could look to

For a kind word at the ready.

Now you're away and distant,

I've no idea who you are.

You wish for me this instant,

But I remember my scars.

Yes, the very scars you left

Scattered through my broken spirit.

While you act so bereft,

Know that I don't want to hear it.

Damn you for what you have done.

God forbid you act with grace

I wish I could tell but one

Who lurks there behind your face.

Cause of you I'm cold inside

My heart now just beats slowly

Happiness will come in time.

But not again will you hold me.

And I feel so above you

Pray one day you recognize

I'm set apart by values

And I don't believe your lies.

Your callousness whips my heart,

And no matter what you say

We can't be too far apart.

Please, will you just go away?

No encores here, my friend.

It's time to go home and think

About how your life might've been

Had you not broken our link.

Innocent you're not, I swear

Your conduct is immature

Do not tell me it's not fair.

It's _your_ heart that is impure.

Your evil will not break my soul

Ironic, not long ago

Sans your love, I wasn't whole.

Now I hate you, I hope you know.

You said you were different

Not like all the others who

Through my life came and then went

Yet far away you flew, too.

I thought we'd go peacefully

Into the now setting sun

As people who gracefully

Never loved another one.

Tears fell from Gabriella's eyes as she saw headlights flash in her windows. Relief coursed through her body when she heard the tell-tale sounds of the wheels of her mother's suitcases on the hardwood floor and the click of her heels on the stairs. Her door opened to reveal her mom, hair disheveled and coat askew, rushing into the room to see with her own eyes that her baby was okay.

"Oh, pumpkin." Anna Montez's heart broke when she saw her beautiful daughter lying on her bed, tear stains on her cheeks and her nose bright red. She shed her coat and shoes as she heard her daughter sniffle. "I'll hold you, precious girl."

Anna lay down on the bed as Gabriella rolled to her side to lay her head on her mother's shoulder. "Okay, Mommy." Gabriella's voice broke over and over and she soaked the material of her mom's shirt while telling her the whole story of what happened when she was away.

**A/N: I know some people, thanks to my lovely reviewers, are anxiously awaiting the chapter where they find out exactly what Gabriella did to Troy, but hold on just a little bit longer!! It's coming soon, I promise! I hope you liked this chapter- it was a bit long-winded, I know! I did actually write that poem, too. Let me know what you think! I'm leaving for school tomorrow so it might be awhile before I can update again, I'll be pretty busy for the next few weeks! Thanks again!**


	6. These Four Walls

**!!WARNING!! This chapter has some ****very strong**** language so if that isn't something you're comfortable with- don't read it!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or anything else besides the plot. Peace out. **

Taylor lay on the long window seat in her room in a similar state to Gabriella. The pillow under her head was soaked in tears with little mascara smudges on the white fabric; she cuddled under the large, velour blanket unable to get warm. She hadn't mentioned her and Chad's break up to Gabriella for the sake of her friend's health- she was already way too stressed out. Sharpay was great but Taylor knew she would have completely flipped out and she hadn't wanted to deal with any more hysterics. Since her sister was away at college and her parents weren't exactly objective listeners (against all odds- they absolutely ADORED Chad), she resorted to being alone with her thoughts. She had known, in some distant realm of her mind, their break up was practically imminent, but her mind had forgotten to tell her heart. She couldn't regret the decision that she made because she knew it was right, Chad was definitely in the wrong when he refused to help her the night before. But being right doesn't keep you warm. Taylor hated that she had been forced into the drama of Gabriella and Troy's completely fucked up relationship, she had to fight not to resent Gabriella for all the damage their hatred had caused, but it was a part of her life now and she knew she had to accept it. She remembered clearly the day Gabriella had told her that she and Troy had broken up, Taylor herself felt like she might go into shock. Most high school relationships either end quickly and it doesn't really matter, or they end and then resume with disgusting regularity.

Not Gabriella and Troy. They broke up and it was as though World War III was being fought at East High- it mattered to _everyone_. Sides were picked, lines were drawn, and even guns were loaded- although 

they were proverbial. Taylor and Chad had fought to remain neutral- they listened to their best friends' rant about each other and they would offer advice. But never would they mention either one to each other, it was an unspoken agreement that neither one was ever to be talked about because it would be far too easy to get into a heated argument. Taylor still spoke to Troy occasionally, though not nearly as much as before. Chad spoke to Gabriella a bit more often because they had several classes together, but they weren't as close as they had been. Throughout Gabriella and Troy's ten month relationship the foursome had become very tight and it was hard to fall away from those habits. Yet fall away they must. The cafeteria was a red zone for Gabriella. If she went in there -all talking would cease and every eye would be upon her. She generally sought solace in the music rehearsal rooms where Taylor, Sharpay and Kelsi would join her for lunch and free periods. It was the only place where she was out of Troy's reach, except for all female bathrooms of course. There was no red zone for Troy- he had complete control over everything. The school was his domain. He held all the weapons, too and he would fire them mercilessly whenever he felt it was necessary. Pushing or shoving whoever might be unfortunate enough to be in his way was not below Troy Bolton and his temper was incredibly sensitive to any kind of provocation.

Taylor could understand his actions, she didn't agree with them, but she knew where he was coming from. She also knew that he had begun to take things way too far and she felt no fear from him. She stood up to him because she knew it was right. Their friendship was strained and it upset her to a certain extent, but Gabriella was the best friend she'd ever had and she wasn't going to let him treat her like that. Taylor thought back to the ex-couple's first public confrontation, the day after they'd broken up, a day that would be burned in her memory forever.

**FLASHBACK**

Troy Bolton was standing at his locker; it was a Monday morning which made things automatically shitty in his opinion. The fact that it was the day after he and Gabriella had broken just made it that much worse. He slammed his books into his locker with a loud bang, startling the girl two spaces over. He didn't even apologize when she shrieked and jumped in fright.

Chad walked up next to him, opening his own locker, and looked at him curiously. "Dude, why are you in such a piss poor mood? I know its Monday but lighten up! Was Gabs not givin' it up this weekend?"

The hair on the back of Chad's neck stood up as Troy's eyes rose slowly from the inside of his locker to his best friend's face. "Don't you ever fucking mention that cunt to me again."

"Holy shit, man! What happened?"

"If I wanted to tell you, I would have already." It was only the first of many hurtful things Troy would say to Chad over the next few months. Chad somehow managed to brush off the first few knowing Troy was devastated.

"Okay, man, have it your way. I'm going to class." Troy didn't say a word as his best friend walked away.

Gabriella was on the other side of the school getting off the bus. She had received several curious stares from the other students who were wondering why she wasn't riding with Troy to school the way she had been all year. She ignored them and took a seat by herself, keeping her head down for the entire ride. Homeroom started about ten minutes after the time the bus dropped everyone off, so Gabriella had to hurry to get to her locker before the bell rang. The bus was running a few minutes late that day, of 

course, so Gabriella turned the corner into the hallway where her locker was located just as Troy was walking past to get to homeroom.

Without looking to see who she had run into, Gabriella apologized and tried to pass the person by. The owner of the hard, muscular chest she had hit had a different idea. He stepped to the side in the same direction Gabriella did and grabbed her arms. She finally looked up, slowly realizing just who she had collided with.

The goose bumps erupting all over Gabriella's body and her bloodshot eyes went unnoticed by Troy as he leaned his face in close to hers.

"You _fucking_ whore," Troy growled in an unrecognizable voice, "what the fuck do you think you are doing? Did I not tell you that I never want to look at you again? Didn't you hear me when I said I hate you so much that if you ever fucking touched me again I would make you wish you had never even heard of Albuquerque? You must have thought I was kidding! I wasn't!" With that Troy heaved Gabriella's tiny body into the nearest bank of lockers, almost lifting her off of her feet. "You are such a fucking slut! Don't ever fucking touch me again! Do you hear me? Is there any other way I can get it through your fucking thick-ass skull?"

As Troy's rage continued, seemingly unending, Gabriella slowly slid to the floor, still leaning against the lockers she had just been thrown into. Tears ran unchecked down her face as the student body crowded into the hallway to watch their formerly beloved 'dream couple' come apart at the seams.

Troy turned and pushed his way through the students that had gathered as teachers began to poke their heads out their classroom doors, drawn by the shouting. One teacher noticed Gabriella lying like a rag doll on the floor against the lockers, sobs shaking her body. But seeing that Troy Bolton was involved, they only shook their head in pity for the poor girl and turned back into their classroom. The gawkers 

still surrounding Gabriella disbursed quickly as the warning bell rang for homeroom. So there she remained, lying utterly defeated where she fell. It was in that same position that Taylor found her as she rushed by, uncharacteristically late. Already alarmed at seeing someone on the floor, Taylor went into an absolute panic when she realized it was Gabriella. She had given her the shirt she was wearing for her birthday.

"GABS!" Her screams echoed through the hallway as she threw herself to floor, kneeling by her devastated best friend. Gabriella's eyes opened slowly and Taylor helped her to sit up straight as questions flew out of her mouth.

"What the hell is going on, Gabs? Why are you lying on the floor? Why are there red marks on your arms? Taylor was becoming more distressed by the minute at seeing her friend in so much pain.

"Oh, god, Tay. I've ruined everything. It's entirely my fault. I really screwed up and now I'm all alone." Gabriella cried as Taylor brushed her damp hair off her pale face.

"What do you mean? What happened? Who did this to you?"

"Troy…"

"WHAT?!"

"I can't tell you," Gabriella whispered brokenly. "You'll hate me, too."

"Oh, Gabs! You know that's not true. You can tell me anything."

"I don't know, Tay…" Gabriella stopped speaking as Taylor grabbed her hand to pull her to her feet.

"You don't have to tell me now, Gabs, but we need to get you out of here. Let's go."

Gabriella was shocked as Taylor led her by the hand towards the doors that opened to the parking lot where all the students parked their cars. "Taylor, are you about to skip school? You can go to class now, I'll just call my mom or walk home."

"Gabriella Marie, you live 15 minutes away, you are not walking home! It's fine, it's only one time." Taylor voice didn't carry the confidence of her words but she kept walking out the double doors without looking back. Just as they got into Taylor's car, they heard screaming from across the lot.

"GIRLS- WAIT!!"

Gabriella looked at Taylor, startled out of her misery, "Holy crap, is that Shar?"

Sharpay finally reached the car, breathless. "I…I saw you walking by and I asked for a hall pass. I had to come find you, I heard about what happened, Gabs. Where are you going? I'll come with you!"

When Gabriella was finally able to get a word in she said, "Its okay, Shar. Taylor is going to take me home, there's no way I can go through the day like this. I don't want you to get in trouble for leaving, Taylor and I never even made it to class."

"Are you kidding me? Me in trouble? That's impossible! Who would they call for donations the next time they want a new library? It'll be fine, let's go," Sharpay said, climbing into the backseat.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

The image of Gabriella's haunted eyes in her pale face would never leave Taylor's mind, she felt scarred by it. As Gabs had told her secrets that day, Sharpay and Taylor had cried with her and offered what support they could. They knew though that no words would help, how do you survive two tragic events- one right after the other? Not by listening to comforting words and cliché platitudes, it would take time. 

It was incredible to Taylor that her very closest friend had been going through so much and she hadn't even realized it, Gabs was a better actress than they all thought. And she knew Shar was just as shocked, she hadn't thought the blond girl would ever stop shaking her head in disbelief. Taylor couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that not only did she not see the change in Gabriella, but she hadn't _felt_ it. They were closer than some people were to their own siblings; she was surprised that she hadn't had any empathy pains or whatever it was that identical twins felt when the other was in trouble. Being angry at Gabriella was impossible, not for this. Understanding Troy's anger wasn't difficult, he definitely had every right to be angry. But understanding Gabriella was not out of the realm of possibility either, she did what she had to do. Taylor had no regrets about the past few months, shit happens. She wouldn't change any actions she had taken because she never made one without considering the consequences. But when Chad's number showed on the caller ID of her cell phone for the fifth time in 20 minutes, the accompanying picture taken only days ago of them kissing underneath some mistletoe, Taylor found it very hard not to pick up and ask if they could start over.

Three streets north from where Taylor reclined on her window seat, Chad was launching a basketball repeatedly at the goal without even trying to make a shot. He so desperately wanted to take his aggressing out on something- ANYTHING- that he had resorted to just throwing the ball as hard as he could trying to hit everything in sight. He knew why Troy was mad at Gabriella, he was one of the few 

people who did, and he figured that Troy had every right to feel the way he did. But it was hard to watch him torment a girl that meant so much to Taylor, and even to himself. He, too, had gotten to know Gabriella over the past year and he thought she was a great girl. Looking back on the night before made him sick, he tried to tell himself it was just the alcohol so he could relieve some of the guilt, but he knew it wasn't. Cowardice is what it came down to; he should've told Troy to 'fuck off' and helped the love of his life take care of their close friend. The cold of the outside air didn't do a damn thing to quell his fury as he thought about his life without Taylor. The fact that just one short year ago he had thought she was a 'freaky math girl' was long forgotten. So much had happened since those days, he had never been happier than when he was with her. She was beautiful. She was intelligent. She was sweet. She was everything he'd never realized he wanted. And unfortunately, she was right.

**A/N: WHOA! That was intense, I know. I hope you loved it though! That really is the last one for a few days! Haha If you've figured out what Gabriella did- don't say it in a review!! I want it to be a surprise. Thanks for reading and make sure you review!**


	7. How Do I Live

DISCLAIMER: I do not own High School Musical or these characters- just the plot!! Sorry it's been so long, college is hectic!

**FLASHBACK**

Troy jogged up behind Gabriella, struggling not to break out in an all-out sprint, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pushed his nose gently into her hair, ignoring the smirk on Taylor's face. He'd missed her so much all day; Wednesdays were the worst because they were both so busy. Throughout the day they had both had a lot going on and never had time to spend together.

"I missed you, baby," Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear.

Gabriella couldn't fight the smile threatening her features as she turned her head slightly to look into his eyes. "I've missed you, too, Bolton."

"On that note- I'm leaving," Taylor stated with a light laugh. "Call me later, Gabs!"

"Will do! Bye, Tay!"

"Bye, Taylor," Troy said as he turned to lean against the locker next to Gabriella's- staring openly at her gorgeous face.

"How'd your math quiz go today? I know you were a little worried about it." One thing that Troy loved about Gabriella was that no matter how stressed out she was with all of her super-tough, AP classes- she never failed to remember the little things going on his life.

"It went okay, I think. How about you? Good day?"

"Yeah, it was decent." Gabriella finished putting her books in her bag and closed her locker. Troy linked his fingers with hers as they started down the hallway, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. "Do you want to do something when you get out of practice tonight? Do you have a lot of homework or can you come over and watch a movie or something?"

Troy looked down at Gabriella's hopeful face, he knew how much she hated being alone; her mom was on yet another business trip. He had a ton of homework to do that night and a quiz to study for but he would rather pull an all-nighter than miss spending any time with the girl by his side. "No, that sounds fine. I'll call you when I get out of practice." They stopped outside the boys' locker room and Troy lightly kissed her cheek.

"Okay, I'll talk to you in a few hours then. Don't forget to shower before you come over though!" Troy laughed as Gabriella wrinkled up her nose, thinking about the last time he'd come over after practice without showering first.

"Okay, I think you should cut me a little slack. I only forgot because I was so excited about coming to see you," Troy stated with a twinkle in his eye.

"Nice try but I'm not falling for it! I love you, too," Gabriella said with a smile

"I won't forget this time. I'll see you later, I love you," Troy said before hurrying through the locker room door.

"I love you, too," Gabriella whispered as she turned around and walked away, heavy thoughts on her mind. Tonight had to be the night.

Troy pondered for a moment, as he got dressed for practice, why Gabriella might be feeling a little down but he chalked it up to her mom having been gone more than usual the past few weeks. He only gave it another minute of thought before dismissing his worries as superficial and heading out to the court before his dad came looking for him.

LATER THAT NIGHT…

Gabriella and Troy were lying on her bed, her head pillowed on his chest, soon after Troy arrived at her house after practice. Troy could no longer deny that something was up with Gabriella; she'd been so quiet all night. When they had first started dating it had taken awhile before she was completely comfortable with him and able to talk about whatever, but once they got over that awkward stage- they could talk about anything. At the moment Troy felt like they were regressing.

He knew it was irrational, but after everything that had happened the summer before he still got scared every time something between them went wrong. The thought of losing her, this amazing, beautiful, sweet girl, was almost too much for him to bear. He had never thought he would grow up to fall in love with a girl and become a sap, but here he was.

"LaLa," Troy started, not quite sure what to say.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at the nickname. "What," she asked as her index finger drew circles on his stomach.

"Is something wrong? Baby, are you mad at me?"

Gabriella tensed at his words but managed to say in a convincing tone, or so she thought, "No, of course not. Why do you ask?"

"You've just been a little tense the past few days. I've been worried."

Gabriella sat up, her dark brown eyes focused on his face. "Aww, I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind, you know how it is. You've got to stop worrying that every time something goes even the slightest bit bad that something is going to happen to us."

Troy's eyes remained locked on Gabriella's, "Do you even know how much you mean to me? I don't want to scare you, but I don't know who I am without you anymore. Life without you is my worst nightmare and I can't help but get scared whenever I think I could lose you. I, umm, well.. it's kind of embarrassing. I've got out future planned out." Troy stammered before continuing, "I mean nothing definite, obviously. I just daydream about us all the time. I'll be in the NBA and play for the Lakers. You'll be a scientist and find the cure for cancer or something. And LaLa- think of our kids! They're gonna be gorgeous!"

Gabriella laughed as he rambled on. "You're a girl, Bolton!" But the look he gave her telling her how serious he actually was made her turn sober quickly. "You'll never lose me; I could never really leave you- I love you too much." Gabriella meant each word with her whole heart, and it touched her soul that Troy felt so deeply about her. Yet she couldn't help but wish that he had never told her- it made it impossible for her to say what had to be said. She couldn't do it to him.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

The reactions to the previous weekend that Gabriella received at school the week following the party were somewhat varied. She didn't return until Wednesday, her mom let her stay home to make sure she was back to full health, so that only served to heighten the level of gossip. As she walked down the hallway to her locker, curious glances and hard glares came from every direction. A few people looked like they wanted to ask how she was doing but weren't quite sure how to pose the question. Gabriella held her head high the way her mother told her to and kept walking without making eye contact. While turning the corner to where to where her locker was located, she saw Troy further down the corridor. They locked eyes and he stiffened, hands still in his locker. Gabriella looked away quickly and tried to quell her racing heart. She had resolved not to let him bother her anymore, but she was still deeply in love him and it hurt every time she saw him, which she knew was written all over her face. The previous weekend had been a minor setback but that was in the past- it was time to buckle down and really get serious about moving on.

Troy's face darkened at the expression on Gabriella's, but for once he didn't comment; he managed to walk away without anyone noticing the small exchange. While lying in bed the night before, Troy had also come to some realizations. He knew that the way he had been acting was unacceptable as well as uncalled for and he resolved to stop. Telling everyone about his decisions and asking _them_ to stop was something else entirely- Gabriella was on her with that one. No one in the whole school really knew what happened besides Chad, Taylor, and Sharpay. Even Zeke didn't know the whole story but that was partly because he asked Sharpay not to tell him- Zeke hated drama. So, while Troy didn't say anything to Gabriella that day, it didn't stop others.

When Gabriella went to the bathroom between English and Chemistry, two girls walked in while she was in the stall.

"Oh, my god! Did you see Gabriella Montez today?" Gabriella recognized the voice of a girl Troy had once told her he went out with in elementary school named Alex.

"Yeah," that was the voice of her best friend, Jessica. "Maybe all the alcohol damaged her brain and she forgot how to do her hair. I mean COME ON!"

Taylor walked into the bathroom as the latter girl was speaking and they both quieted abruptly. She had come into the bathroom because she'd seen Gabriella walk in from down the hallway and knew she was still there.

Taylor looked at the girls and said, knowing they'd miss the sarcastic tone of her voice, "Guess what, girls? Chad and Troy are right outside; I heard them talking about how much they like you! Isn't that exciting? You must be so happy!"

Both girls squealed, stupid enough to believe what Taylor said, and then ran out of the bathroom.

Taylor walked to stall that all of the sniffles were coming from and knocked. "Gabriella, please open the door! I know you're in there."

After a few moments Gabriella undid the lock and let Taylor look into the stall. Gabriella was fighting nausea and trying to remain calm after hearing the girls' hurtful words.

"What the FUCK did I ever do to her?" Gabriella screamed suddenly.

"Nothing, babe. You know they're just jealous," Taylor said, like a true best friend.

The door to the bathroom slammed open, scaring them both, as Sharpay rushed inside. When she saw the look on Gabriella's face she knew exactly what had happened, having seen Jessica and Alex leave just seconds before. "Don't let those bitches get you down, Gabs! That girl couldn't look half as good as you even if she spent thousands on plastic surgery! She's just pissed because everyone knows it! I mean, seriously, look at her…"

Gabriella met Taylor's eyes and they both smiled, finding humor in Sharpay's rambling. Taylor grabbed a roll of toilet paper and tore off a piece, wiping Gabriella's eyes as she said, "Okay, Sharpay, we get it! The girl is ugly! Now let Gabriella use some of the make-up that I know is in your purse."

Sharpay, distracted at the thought of being able to put make-up on Gabriella, started rummaging through her bag looking for some mascara and lip gloss. Her hands suddenly stilled at Gabriella's next words, not knowing how the next few minutes would play out. Taylor had finally spilled to her over the weekend everything that had happened between her and Chad, so she knew the full extent of the stress that Taylor had been under trying to keep the truth from Gabriella.

"Why weren't you with Chad this morning, Taylor? I always see you guys in the front hallway when I get off the bus and you weren't there this morning. Did you have another meeting with Mr. Davis for calculus?"

Taylor, too, went still for a few moments before looking Gabriella in the eyes. "Gabs, I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you this in the midst of everything that's happened in the past few days. Chad and I broke up. Friday night. I can't be with someone who will treat his friends that way. He needs to man up and stop being Troy Bolton's little soldier who does whatever he says. I understand that he's Chad's best friend, but this whole thing with Troy is getting a little ridiculous. They were lucky I was sober- what would've happened if I wasn't? They would never have forgiven themselves if something had happened to you because they're too big of fucking assholes to swallow their anger for just a moment to help someone who's sick." Taylor's voice got higher as she kept talking while Gabriella's face got paler.

"No, Taylor, NO! This can't be happening, not because of me. Please, tell him you want him back. You love him. I won't let you two break-up just because I've screwed up! No, Taylor, I won't let this happen! Take it back!" Gabriella felt as though the tears streaming down her face would never stop, they burned her skin all the way down to her neck.

"Gabs, LISTEN TO ME. This isn't about what you have or haven't done. This is about me and Chad. We've made our decisions. None of it is your fault."

"Oh, God, Taylor. I'm so sorry. If there's anything you need…"

Taylor grabbed Gabriella's shaking shoulders and pulled her into a hug, Sharpay too. "I love you girls and I would choose you over some silly boy any day," Taylor declared, making them both laugh, even as her heart wished that silly boy wasn't Chad.

"Okay, Gabs," Sharpay said, wiping her eyes. "Get over here so I can do some damage control!"

Gabriella groaned, afraid of what that meant. "Go easy on me, Sharpay, it's been a long day."

Sharpay and Taylor both smiled, admiring the girl who after so much could still make a joke.

Troy walked into his room later that night and heaved a sigh as he collapsed on his bed, thankful that the day was over. Days without Gabriella in his life seemed empty, and some were worse than others. There were days that, when he woke up, he forgot they weren't together anymore. He would look to the table beside his bed to turn off his alarm clock and would be reminded of his single status when he didn't see her picture right behind it. He hated those days; it was like reliving the break-up all over again.

Other days, his favorite days, he woke up so damn pissed off that he didn't know what to do with himself. On these days he couldn't feel the raw pain that he kept buried so well inside, on these days he never cried when he thought about what a future with Gabriella could have been like.

Today was the latter kind.

Hidden in the deep recesses of his closet was a shoe box, he figured it was kind of girly but why not? He was the only one who knew. On the bad days- he would bring the box out and sift through its contents and his memories.

Their prom picture from junior year, _God- they looked so __**happy**_, never failed to make the tears fall. Gabriella's dress had been absolutely exquisite. Troy had dated pretty girls before- he was Troy Bolton after all- but he had never been so astounded in his whole life. He had to fight not to fall to his knees in praise of the God who had placed that amazing girl on Earth.

Gabriella's school picture was one of the most beautiful school portraits he had ever seen. She didn't really like it because there were a few fly-away hairs sticking up from her dark curls and her shirt clashed with the background, but that wasn't what Troy noticed when he looked at it. Her dark eyes were filled with happiness and light, her gorgeous, brown hair had looked particularly perfect that day. She looked like an angel; she always looked like an angel.

The next picture was in a frame that Gabriella had made him for the seven month anniversary. She felt kind of silly giving it to him, but they loved each other so much they celebrated their anniversary each month. Surprising him with small gifts and tokens of affection had always brought her so much joy, and Troy had been touched each time she did. The frame was white and she had wrapped green ribbon around it. There was a sticker on the top that said 'best friends.' The picture had been taken when they were on a picnic at the golf course the summer before. They both looked so tan and healthy, not like what either one of them looked now. These days a scowl was a permanent fixture on Troy's handsome face while there were some days that Gabriella looked like she was wasting away. The light formerly reflected in their eyes had long since diminished and Troy wondered to himself if he would ever find it again.

He could not help but sob harder, the anguish no longer disguised by a bad attitude, when he thought about the fact that he would never be as happy as he had been in that moment captured in time.

A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter isn't quite up to par, I've been so busy lately and trying to write it bit by bit for the last few weeks. College has gotten a lot more stressful my sophomore year; I have no time to do anything! Forgive me! And review please! :


	8. Author's Note

Hey guys, I just wanted to say I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I'm back in school (I'm a college sophomore), I have a job, and I'm in a sorority. SO, I have almost no time to write! Trust me, it sucks! Anyways, I haven't given up on this story though I'm not quite sure how I'm going to move forward, so if you have any ideas – let me know! I'll def. continue but the updates might be few and far between!


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